Coupling device.



w. 0. HIMES.

COUPLING'DEVI CE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 2!, 1914.

I, 1 44, 1 28. Pdtented June 22, 1915.

THE NORRIS PETERS ca. PHOTO-LITHO.. wAsHINGmN. D. C.

' FED.

WRIGHTSMAN D. HIMES, 0F DELTA, COLORADO, ASSIG-NOR OF ONE-HALF T0 JAMES F. TERRY, 0F DELTA, COLORADO.

COUPLING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1915.

Application filed November 21, 1914. Serial No. 873,336.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WRIGHTSMAN D. HIMES, residing at Delta, in the county of Delta and State of Colorado, have invented a new and Improved Coupling Device, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention has reference to that class of coupling devices adapted to join the lapped ends of sheet metal sections, such as flume troughs, eaves troughs and other like conveyers, and it more particularly has reference to that form of coupling device disclosed in my co-pending application filed August 14:, 1914, Ser. #856,784, and my aforesaid invention has for its purpose to provide a simplified construction of the device shown in my application before referred to, and in which the parts are designed for effectively producing a watertight joint of the lapped ends of the trough sections.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved construction of coupling device of the character stated which in addition to forming an effective means for joining the lapped ends of fiume or trough sections also serves as a hanger for suspending the fiume or trough sections from overhead supports.

Again, my present invention has for its object to provide an improved combined hanger and clamping means for fiume and trough sections adapted for clamping the lapped ends of round fiumes and forhanging the same from overhead supports with their meeting ends of the trough or fiume separated to provide for readily cleaning the said fiume.

With other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, my present invention consists in the peculiar construction and novel arrangement of the parts hereinafter fully explained, specifically pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1 is a cross section of a fiume, and my improved combined hanger and clamping devices operatively applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged cross section of one of the combined hanger and clamping devices, the same being shown as applied to the lapped ends of the trough and ready for being adjusted to bring the said lapped ends into a tight frictional engagement. Fig. 3 is a similar view, the lapped ends of the trough being shown in a tight frictional contact. Fig. 4 1s a perspective view of one of my improved combined hanger and clamping devices. Fig. 5 is a cross section of a round flume and it illustrates the manner in which my com bined hanger and clamp devices suspend the same from an overhead support. Fig. 6 is a view that illustrates my hanger and clamping device applied to a trough having one of its side edges formed with an angled flange for resting upon a supporting timber.

My present form of clamping device comprises essentially but two parts, an inner clamping member 1, and an outer clamping member 2.

The clamping member 1 is in the nature of an angle member, one portion 10 of which forms a face plate for fitting against the inside of the inner trough section a to which when applied, it is fixedly connected by the rivets c that pass through the inner flume section a and the clamp portion 10.

The upper end of the portion 10 of the clamping member 1 is formed with an angled top portion 14: that has a socket or groove 12 that acts as a guide and retaining means for holding a set screw 3 (presently again referred to) in a proper operative position when adjusting the several parts of the device for use. The other or outer clamping section 2 includes a top member 20 that projects at right angles from the pendent or face portion 22. Member 20 has a threaded opening 21 for receiving the screw bolt 3. The pendent or face portion 22 of the clamp 2 has countersunk rivet holes 23 for conveniently and fixedly attaching the said clamp 2 to the outside of the outer trough section b, as is clearly shown in the drawing, by reference to which it will be seen that the rivet ends that pass through the several trough sections are hammered down to provide for a smooth fitting of the lapped ends of the said trough or flume sections.

By reason of the peculiar shape of the two clamping members and the manner of attaching them to their respective sections, as shown, no special manipulation is required to fit the two clamping members together, as is necessary in the several forms of the device shown in my co-pending application referredto, since in operatively ad- 5 justing my improved clamping device it is only necessary to slip the screw carrying member of the outer clamp 2 over the inner member 1 and then turn the screw 3 down, it being understood that the latter, as it is fed down, passes into the socket or guide groove in the top of the member 1, and is held from lateral displacement or from being pulled up over the inner member 1, while turning it down to draw the two fiume or trough 5 sections together, it being also apparent that in my present form of clamping device, as the screw 3 is turned down, the outer edge of the inner fiume section is forced downwardly and by reason thereof it tends to 0 spread out (see arrow w on Fig. 3), and thereby seats tightly against the outer flume section, which latter, at this time, is drawn upwardly (see arrow y) the two sections being thereby held fluid-tight, it being also apparent that should the joints loosen up or leak, they may be readily closed by tightening up the screw bolt 3.

In my present construction, the outer clamp member 2 is formed with an integral extension 21 that extends upwardly from and substantially at right angles to the apertured top portion 20, and the said extension, which constitutes a hanger member, is apertured as at 25, for receiving clamp bolts that 36 secure the said combined hanger and clamp device to an overhead support, which may be a cross timber 5, as shown in Fig. 1.

By reason of constructing the combined hanger and clamping device, as shown and 40 described, the same can be readily used for suspending round fiumes, (see Fig. 5). Small round fiumes are frequently found desirable for conveying purposes, but their use has generally been limited for the reason that when they fill up with dirt, it is difficult to clean them out. By reason of the shape of my combined hanger and clamp devices, the ends of the round flume can be supported and sufiiciently spaced apart to provide for readily cleaning out the said flume. While my clamp and hanger device is more especially adapted for use in connectionwith the ordinary semi-circular shaped fiume sections, the same may be used in connection with troughs or flumes used under conditions where the use of my combined hanger and clamp. on one of the side edges is not possible.

In Fig. 6, I have shown one side of the trough provided with my improved clamp and hanger device, and the other side bent out to form an angle flange d for resting upon a timber c. When the latter form of trough and its supporting means is required,

' as shown in Fig. 6, the flange d at the lapped end of the fiume sections is nailed to the timber e and the fiume sections are drawn into a water-tight connection by the clamp and hanger device that engages the other edge of the said flume sections. The flange 7C cl gives strength to the top of the fiume and also protects the timber from the weather.

WVhile I have shown and described my present invention as applied to flume sections, it is also well adapted for connecting light flumes, flumes made of roofing material and for the purpose of lining ditches that are seepy and weak embankments.

What I claim is: p

1. In combination with the overlapped trough sections; a clamping member secured to the inside of the inner one ofsaid sections, the said clamping member including an inwardly projecting top portion, another clamping member secured to the outside of the outer trough section and including an inwardly projected top portion adapted to extend overthe top portion of the other clamping member, and means cooperating with the two top portions of the said clamping members for separating the said members to thereby draw the overlapping ends of the trough sections into tight frictional contact, the said means including a screw mounted in the top portion of the outer clamping member and engaging the top portion of the inner clamping member.

2. In combination with the overlapping trough sections; a clamping member secured to the inside of the inner one of said sections, the said clamping member including an inwardly projecting top portion, another clamping member secured to the outside of the outer trough section and including an inwardly projected top portion adapted to extend over the top portion of the other clamping member, means cooperating with thetwo top portions of the'said clamping members for separating the said members to thereby draw the overlapping ends of the trough sections into frictional contact, the said means including a screw mounted in the top portion of the other clamping member and engaging the top portion ofthe inner clamping member, the said top portion 116 of the inner clamping member having a socket larger than the screw and, adapted for holding the screw from displacement when moving down intoengagement withthe inmi clamping member.

3. A clamping device of the class described comprising an outer clamping member having an inner fiat face to wh h 0116 trough section is adapted to be fastened, the said. member including a projection extend- 125 ing over the said face and ears extending in a direction parallel to the said face above the said projection, the said-projection having a threaded opening, an adjusting screw in the said opening; a second clamping 1 0 member having a face adapted to be held in force the said two clamping members apart parallel with the face of the said first clampwith their faces in parallelism. ing member and to Which the second trough section is adapted to be secured, the said WRIGHTSMAN HIMES' second clamping member including a re- Witnesses:

cessed projection into Which the end of the BERT N. CRAWFORD,

said screw is designed to seat and bear to EARL WILSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in Letters Patent No. 1,144,128, granted June 22, 1915, upon the application of Wrightsman D. Himes,

of Delta, Colorado, for an improvement in Coupling Devices, was erroneously Written and printed James F. Terry, Whereas said name should have been written and printed James F. Ferry, as shown by the records of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read With this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 27th day of July, A. D., 1915.

[SEAL] R. F. WHITEHEAD,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

